It is known to construct refuse packer assemblies of a type employing a paddle or blade adapted to be horizontally oscillatable through about 180.degree. so as to sweep refuse from a collection bay to a larger refuse storage chamber mounted on a vehicle. The pivot axis of the paddle may be coupled to a crank plate having a pair of opposed crank arms and each of which are linked to hydraulic cylinders. The hydraulic cylinders are actuated in a synchronized angularly reciprocating manner so as to drive the paddle through its sweep.
However, these assemblies may generate a variable torque on the paddle as a result of the changing perpendicular distance between pivot axis and line of force applied by the cylinders during a paddle sweep, and this may be disadvantageous where a small torque is generated on the paddle but a higher torque is required to move a load.
Furthermore, the reciprocating cylinders may stall at mid stroke of the paddle where the ends of their piston strokes coincide and there is insufficient momentum to continue their angular travel. It is also disadvantageous that the cylinders are mounted externally of the paddle housing.
The complexity of cylinders and linkage means and the reliance placed upon their operation in effecting oscillation of the paddle has meant that prior art packer assemblies are difficult to maintain, heavy and prone to failure.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the disadvantages of the prior art.